Return to Monchy, a moment with a casket, stirs emotions as anticipation builds over return of N.L. soldier

Even a stout navy veteran like Frank Sullivan was unable to maintain his composure Thursday following an unexpected chance to pay his respects to an unknown Newfoundland soldier who will soon be repatriated to his native soil.

"To actually go inside and be able to tap the coffin and say, 'you're going home, son.' I can't talk. It's too emotional," said Sullivan, his voice cracking as he spoke with reporters Thursday morning in the shadow of the Newfoundland Caribou Memorial in the small French village of Monchy-le-Preux.

Sullivan is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador command of the Royal Canadian Legion, and is part of a small group of legionnaires who have been pushing hard for the creation of a tomb of the unknown soldier at the Newfoundland National War Memorial in St. John's.

On Wednesday, a delegation of more than 100 people from Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador arrived in northern France to begin the process of repatriating the solder's remains.

On Thursday morning, Sullivan joined others for a tour of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission operations facility and visitor centre just outside the town of Arras.

Guides explained the role of the commission as the steward over the graves of more than 1.7 million soldiers from Commonwealth countries who have died in various wars. The graves are spread over 150 countries, but nearly 600,000 of them are located in France, which was a deadly battleground for two global conflicts, including the First World War.

But Sullivan and a small group of others also had an unexpected honour. The remains of the Newfoundland soldier were exhumed on May 13, and the casket containing the remains is being held at the facility. So commission officials allowed a limited number of people to pay their respects, including Sullivan.

"You get the shivers, you get the shakes and you weep a bit. I'm sure there will a lot more weeping by me and everybody else come July 1," he said.

Premier Andrew Furey, along with his wife Allison and their son, Mark, also paid their respects to the unknown soldier.

Furey said a moment of quiet reflection with the casket was a moment he'll never forget.

"These next few days will be very sad, but I also think leads to a degree of closure for many that finally one of ours is coming home. And by extension and in our hearts, everybody who is left behind is also coming home," Furey told reporters after his visit with the unknown soldier.

A transfer of remains ceremony will be held at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial on Saturday morning, at which time a bearer party from the French military will deliver the casket to a bearer party consisting of modern day members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.

The unknown soldier and the visiting delegation will then board a plane and return to St. John's on Saturday evening. The soldier's grave marker, which features the Caribou emblem of the regiment and the words "Known Unto God" will also be returned to St. John's.

A lying-in-state will take place at Confederation Building from June 28 to June 30, allowing members of the public to visit the casket.